By The Mays Report:By G C Mays
South American soybean (SOYB) crop estimates continue to shrink due to the severe drought conditions that persisted throughout the key pollination period of the growing season. In addition, the prospective plantings report revealed that total soybean acres planted this marketing year would fall from 74.97 to 73.90 million acres. This along with lower production has resulted in prices in excess of $14 per bushel.Corn (CORN) has swiped some of those soybean acres as the USDA expects farmers to plant 95.9 million acres of corn this spring, which is a big jump from the 91.9 million acres planted a year ago. How these recent events will affect the sales of fertilizer and seed companies remains a mystery as fertilizer and crop prices have diverged over the last few months. Mosaic (MOS) missed consensus estimates by ¢0.09 when it reported its 3rd quarter earnings and while MonsantoComplete Story »

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By The Mays Report:
By G C Mays
Due to dwindling prospects for the South American soybean crop and low corn stocks potentially stealing more acres away, soybean prices have soared to a recent price $13.74 per bushel. Recent renewed strength in the Euro has also propped up prices.

T. Marc Schober submits:Grain prices are back in the headlines and futures prices are limit up as the USDA updated their 2011 plantings and quarterly grain stocks. The USDA expects big increases in corn, wheat, and cotton acres as farmers attempt to capitalize on high grain prices.

By T. Marc Schober:The USDA estimates in 2012 the U.S. will plant 95.9 million acres of corn, the most since before World War II. The record planting estimate surprised the market that was expecting more acres allocated to soybeans and spring wheat. Soybean planted acres decreased by a percent at the expense of the increased corn acres planted. The increase in corn acres in the Prospective Plantings report was bearish for corn, but the Quarterly Stocks report more than offset this increase. The U.S.

By T. Marc Schober:The USDA updated the U.S. and world balance sheet estimates for major agricultural commodities in the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report Wednesday. The USDA stunned the market Wednesday by decreasing U.S. corn yields, although reduced U.S. corn demand helped settle the bullish tone.
Corn

By T. Marc Schober:Corn stocks were 14% below last year's levels and the lowest Q3 number since the 3.04 billion bushels in June of 1998, indicating strong global demand for corn. The USDA estimates in 2012 the U.S. will plant 96.4 million acres of corn, the most since 1937 when an estimated 97.2 million acres were planted; this came as no surprise as corn planted acres fell in line with analysts' expectations.

By T. Marc Schober:The USDA updated the U.S. and world balance sheet estimates for major agricultural commodities in the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report today. No major changes in December’s report, but the USDA did lower expected prices for commodities, including a 30 cent reduction for corn prices in 2011/12.
Corn